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Xanthoceras sorbifolium

Common name:	Yellowhorn	Family:	Sapindaceae
Author:	Bunge.	Botanical references:	11, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - N. China.
Habitat:	Thickets in drier areas, usually on shaded slopes.
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	bifolium = 2 leaved;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Sapindales. Soapberry family

Physical Characteristics

A decidious shrub growing to 6m by 2.5m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 6 and is frost tender. It is in flower from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

Flowers; Leaves; Seed.

Flowers - cooked[2, 105, 183]. They are usually boiled[179].
Leaves - cooked[2, 105, 183]. They are usually boiled[179].
Seed - cooked[2, 105, 177]. The seed is about the size of a pea, it is quite sweet[183], with a taste like a sweet chestnut[178]. The seed is husked and then ground into a powder and boiled[179].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a good loamy soil[1], but succeeds in most well-drained fertile soils in a sunny position[184, 200]. Prefers a warm dry situation[184]. Requires protection from cold winds[202].
Dormant plants are hardy to about -20°c[184]. They grow best in areas with warm summers and dry springs without late frosts[184], the young growth can be damaged by late spring frosts[1, 11]. They require summer heat in order to fully ripen their wood and to stimulate the production of flower buds[11, 200]. They are subject to attacks by 'coral spot' fungus, particularly if the wood is not fully ripened and is then damaged by winter cold[11].
Flowers are produced on the previous year's wood[202]. Plants are usually slow to become established[202].

Propagation

Seed - 3 months cool stratification improves germination rates[113] so the seed is probably best sown in a cold frame in the autumn[K]. Another report says that the seed can be sown in a warm greenhouse in February or March[78], probably after stratification[K]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. Grow the on in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse for their first winter then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Consider giving them some protection from winter cold for their first winter or two outdoors.
Root cuttings, 3cm long planted horizontally in pots in a frame in December or January. Good percentage[78].
Division of suckers in the dormant season[200]. They can be planted out straight into their permanent positions.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Sapindaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[202] Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.

Readers Comments

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Xanthoceras+sorbifolium
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.